I lost my creative mojo . . .

When KC told us she was interviewing for a job in Ventura, I put my decorating on hold.

There were so many unanswered questions -

Would she get the job?

Would she stay with us for awhile and, how long?

Would she take any of my furniture?

Would she bring back any furniture?

For the months of September and October, I kayaked, cycled, swam, walked, and gardened, but I did no decorating.

I felt like I had lost my decorating mojo.

We have answers to the questions -

Yes, she got the job.

No, she is not staying with us, but lives 4 houses away.

Yes, she took some furniture.

Yes, she brought back some furniture.

This week, things are back to normal - I'm shaking up things all over the house.

In August, I decorated our bedroom in a soft pastel color palette, but then decided to switch from this smaller bedroom to the larger bedroom.

In the switch, I painted this bench a soft yellow (KC stole the bench for her house) and then did nothing else in the room until last week.

This red, yellow and blue cabinet was the problem for me - the pastel quilt didn't work with the primary colored cabinet and I wasn't ready to paint it.

When KC returned this green nightstand to me I knew just what to do with the bedroom.

As you can see, this room is right next to Steve's studio which is why we moved to the smaller bedroom years ago.

And the art will be constantly changing as pieces sell, go to shows or are replaced with newer paintings.

I found a white quilt and shams at Home Goods.

The yellow shams were up in the attic, I made a blue pillow case from some left over fabric and bought the red and white checked shams at IKEA last week.

I want to replace the blue pillow with embroidered Good Morning and Good Night pillows like the sweet pillows I saw at Manuela's blog,  A Cultivated Nest.

The armoire purchased 10 years ago for craft storage now holds my clothes because there was no way Steve was going to move such a heavy piece of furniture.

The IKEA Expedit was also purchased for crafts, but it became a storage place for Steve's clothes by adding doors and pull out baskets.

I had fun filling the rest of the cubes on the Expedit with baskets

and books organized by color.

I found matching lamps at IKEA that I want to fill with sea glass or shells.

Someone commented when I went with the pastel color palette that they didn't think it would last long.

And they were right.

I think Steve liked the fact that there were no big projects these last 2 months, but my mojo is back and I'm on a roll.

I am predicting a November full of painting, moving furniture and sewing at our house.

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You can find me at these fun parties

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup Thursday

No Minimalist Here - Open House Blog Party

Rooted in Thyme - Simple & Sweet Fridays

The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday

The Pin Junkie - Friday Link Party

The Charm of Home - Home Sweet Home

A Delightsome Life - Home and Garden Thursday

From My Front Porch To Yours - Treasure Hunt Thursday

Trying Something New

October has been a month of perfect beach weather and we played every single day by cycling, kayaking, walking on the beach, etc.

 And all that playing left little time for creativity.

Via

Today I did something I have never done before and had a great time.

I received this beautiful invitation to an annual wine party hosted by friends.

When I told Jacquie how pretty I thought the invitation was, she asked if I wanted to join her at a card making class.

I have taken bookmaking classes and painting classes, but never a card making class.

Today Jacquie picked me up for a class at the home of her friend Martha.

There were 16 of us in the class and at each seat there was a cute little Halloween box (handmade by Martha) filled with candy.

The first thing I noticed in her beautiful home was an art piece on the wall which Martha explained was various tags she had received in a Halloween art tag swap.

I love all the 3 dimensional pieces

and how each person chose to represent Halloween on their tag.

I definitely need to find out how to join this swap for next year.

On the coffee table was another piece with various tags all made for Martha by a friend.

I'm not sure the theme for these tags, but I love the color and artwork involved.

Another fun Halloween piece hung on a wall with bits and pieces dangling from the bottom.

We made 3 cards in the workshop using a variety of stamping techniques - 

a fun folding Christmas card,

a layered snowflake card,

and a masculine birthday card.

For $10, I walked away with 3 cards, a full tummy from delicious snacks and some new friends.

I ordered some supplies (which I do not need) and signed up for another class next month to make Christmas cards, candy boxes, a banner and more.

Rain is in the forecast tomorrow so I might just have the time to keep this creativity thing going.

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I am joining the party at

Little Red House - Mosaic Monday

On a mission . . . from empty to finished in 5 days

KC moved to town last Sunday to a duplex filled with boxes and her limited furniture.

Like a tornado whipping through town, KC took that empty space and turned it into her own special haven.

Yesterday afternoon when I dropped by to take photos, she was relaxing on her sofa in a space decorated perfectly for her and the lifestyle she lives.

Her bedroom was finished on Monday morning except for the headboard that she redid Wednesday afternoon.

2 yards of blue suede, 134 nails and 1 blister were all it took to obtain a stylish and sophisticated look.

Nautical accents show KC's love of the ocean.

KC rented her place sight unseen and was pleasantly surprised that the bedroom was larger than she expected.

The kitchen came with only a stove so she shopped around for an apartment size refrigerator.

Favorite quotes, save the dates and pictures add color to the white room.

I gave her the K mug from Anthropologie several years ago so all she needed were the F and S to display knives, forks and spoons.

A butcher block cart from IKEA adds both a work surface and extra storage.

After I took the photos, she stole a large green metal basket from my hallway to replace the small wicker basket on the shelf.

The painting is a still life Steve did in an art class years ago.

KC had no dining room at her San Francisco apartment so she needed a table.

With limited space in the dining room, she opted for an outdoor bistro style table and chairs from IKEA.

  She "stole" the yellow bench from our bedroom to hold books and provide extra seating when she has company.

The "&" pillow is from Crate and Barrel.

The turquoise bar cart was a birthday present last May that I bought KC on my annual Mother's Day San Francisco visit.

I bought the CHEERS sign on the same visit and the painting of Fort Point is one Steve did for KC several years ago.

I can't believe what KC accomplished in 5 days - check here to see the living room.

I transplanted flowers from my garden to her yard today, but I am not nearly as productive.

It will take me far more than 5 days to create a garden worth photographing.

 And, I have to fill holes in my house created by all of KC's thievery.

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I am joining these parties

Twigg Studios - Sunday Showoff Linky Party

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Funky Junk Interiors - Party Junk 210

The Dedicated House - Anything Blue and Pink Friday

VMG 206 - DIY Sunday Showcase

Decorating With My Daughter

I am having so much fun watching my creative daughter decorate her new home.

KC runs circles around me.

She arrived at 6 p.m. on Sunday, sushi reservations were for 6:30 and by 8:00 she was in her new home.

Steve and I took Lulu on her walk and by the time I arrived to help, she was nearly finished with her night's work.

By 10:30 every single box was empty, her bedroom was organized, and excess furniture was stored in the garage.

Monday we shopped at IKEA and Anthropologie.

Yesterday morning, KC hung a gallery wall while she waited for the IKEA delivery man.

She screen printed these pieces at a work "play day" when she started at her former company.

The Firestone poster is one of Steve's paintings and is one of many different pieces KC has of her dad's artwork.

 KC had nothing to put into this frame so she cut a scrap of wrapping paper to fit the frame.

The IKEA Ektorp sofa arrived in boxes and KC insisted on building it herself with no help.

Two nights after arriving in town, this was the look of the little living room.

This view from the bedroom shows the Ektorp sofa with chaise that is the only piece of furniture for sitting in her little house.

This view from the dining room shows a photograph of Pierpont Beach in 1936.

An eclectic grouping of pillows on the white sofa bring color to the white room.

The embroidered San Francisco pillow was a gift from special friends at KC's going away party.

An IKEA 2 X 2 Expedit holds the TV and the eye continues up the wall to a San Francisco painting "borrowed" from Steve's studio.

KC has a fun collection of anchors and other nautical pieces so I brought over the little sailboat doorstop made by my sister in elementary school.

The basket, lamp and green chair are just a few of the items KC has "removed" from our house - there are more in other rooms.

Originally the plan was for turquoise chevron patterned curtains, but white blinds provide privacy and curtains would be overwhelming in the small space.

The little wooden bench is a possible project - to paint or not to paint? - that is the question.

KC starts her new job on Monday so her plan is to finish decorating tomorrow so she has 3 full days to play.

I titled the post Decorating With My Daughter, but I am really just her assistant.

Either way, I am loving the time with her.

Wait 'til you see what she made today.

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I am joining

From My Front Porch To Yours - Treasure Hunt Thursday

No Minimalist Here - Open House Blog Party

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup Thursday